Sectional building unit



Nov. 9, 1943. E, s. GulGNoN, JR

SECTIONAL BUILDING UNIT Filed Jan. l5, 1941 TVI. m

Patented Nov. 9, 1943 UNITED STATESvv PATENT OFFICE.

2,333,999 n i SECTIONAL BUILDING UNIT Emile S. Guignon, Jr., Kansas City,l Mo.

Application January 15, 1941, `Serial No. 374,413

3 Claims. (Cl. y18S- 34) This invention relates to buildings and the units employed in constructing the same, and has for its primary object the provision of a sectional building block composed principally of spaced apart panels secured in place by tie elements, portions of which are contoured to be complementary to certain faces of supporting members constituting a part of the building.

This invention has for another object the provision of sectional building units having unique means for interlocking opposed, spaced apart panels and the tie elements therefor, which interlocking means precludes accidental displacement and may be completed at the point of use Without special equipment and without employment of any tools not readily available to the workmen.

A still further aim of the instant invention is to provide a sectional building block, the opposed panels of which are provided with angled flanges cooperating with unique tie elements whereby the panels are secured together and the block per se is attached to one of the supporting members constituting a part of the building.

. Other objects of the invention include the provision of rugged, inexpensive and durable parts usable to form a sectional building unit that is held in place by certain of the parts of the unit itself.

Minor objects of the invention are important and the same will appear during the course of the following specification, referring to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective View of a sectional building unit made in accordance' with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective View of one of the tie elements of the building unit, entirely removed from operative position.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional View of a portion of a side panel of the building unit.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view through a supporting member of a building, illustrating the manner in which the tie elements of the building unit engage the same.

Fig. 5 is a similar sectional view illustrating another form of supporting member and indicating the manner in which a modied type of tie element may be employed to engage such element; and

Fig. 6 is a similar sectional view through another type of building member showing still another way of forming the tie elements for operative engagement with said member.

Sectional building blocks or units embodying this invention are particularly useful in constructing Walls in the nature of those illustrated in my U.r S. Letters Patent No. 2,202,850, issued June 4, 194e.

The unit contemplated by the present invention may assume many forms and for purpose of illustration, that shown in Fig. 1 has been employed to disclose the advantages arising from the use of panels I0 and I2 that are held in spaced apart relation by tie elements, generally designated by the numeral I4. The space between panels I0 and I2 is usually packed with a filling of insulating substance, such as rock Wool, spun glass, or other material having heat resisting qualities.

Planar panels I6 and I8 illustrated in Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are conventionally used to construct the vertical walls of a building and when such panels are employed, the same should have lateral flangesV 20 at the pcripheres thereof with which tie elements I4 cooperate.

Panels I6 or I8, as the case may be, are provided with beads 22 along theline of juncture between the face of panels I6 or I8 and flanges 20 thereof. Slots 24 formed through flanges 20 are arranged in pairs and at spaced intervals along flanges 20 to receive the hereinafter described ears of tie elements I4. Y

Flanges 20 are pressed inwardly to provide a boss 26 adjacent to each slot 24 and when flanges 20 of panels I0, I2, I6 or I8, as the case may be, are so treated, elements I4 are usable to space such panels apart and to secure them to supporting members 28 forming a part of the building.

Because members 28 are tubular or have annular outer peripheries that form of tie element I4 illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 4 is most often used.

The tie elements 30 and 32 illustrated in Figs. 5y

and 6 respectively however, embody precisely the same structure at their ends as te element I4 and therefore, the means for interconnecting all of the elements herewith illustrated at any of the aforesaid panels, remains the same.

In Fig. 5 the supporting member has been illustrated to be merely a conventional 2 X 4 or other studding 34 and in Fig. 6 the supporting member 36 is a conventional I-bearn.

Like reference numerals will be employed to designate similar parts of the tie elements shown in the drawing, and the reference character 38 indicates the flange that extends vacross each end of the tie elements. This flange 38 has ears 40 struck therefrom to extend laterally outwardly and in so forming ears 40, notches 42 are created. The distance between ears 40 and slots 24 in ange 20 of the panels, is the same. After ears 40 are extended through slots 24 they are bent downwardly into the cavities formed by embossing flanges 28 of the panels and since this operation may be accomplished through the use of conventional and inexpensive tools, it is obvious that quick assembly at the point of `use may take place.

Flanges 38 of the various tie elements are formed to be complementary' to the inner face of flanges 20 andthe intermediate sections of all tie elements I4, 30 and 32 are contoured to i be complementary to the face of the supporting4 elements 28, 34 or 36 as the case may be.:

In every instance, the tie element is formed inwardly from a plane in whichlies the proximal Y edges of the panels for the purpose of bringingA said edges together when the supporting member 28, 34 or 36 is embraced.V The beads 22 form a channel in which a caulking compound may be placedif desired. A y

Tie elements, 3II or 32 are relatively narrow as illustrated in Fig. 1, and a minimum amount of metal-to-metal contact is therefore created when the Walls of a structure arebeing erected. When the spaced apart panels are held, as illustrated in Figs. 4, 5 and 6, with insulating material (not here shown) therebetween, a most desirable wall is presented.

All of the panels employed in making the sectional building unit are yformed of sheet material and the tie elements may be made in large quantities through the employment of relatively inexpensive dies. The sides of the units or panels l0, I2, I6 and I8 may be nested or stacked for shipment and the tie elements` may be boxed or sacked and transported with the panels to the point Where the building is being erected.

Advantages arising from buildingparts embodying this invention are obvious from the foregoing and because only a few embodiments of the invention are illustrated and described, it

is desired to be limited only by the spirit thereof and scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desiredk to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A sectional building unit of the character described comprising a pair .of opposed panels each having slots formed therethrough at the edges thereof; and relatively narrow tie elements between the panels to hold the same in spaced apart relation, said tie elements having ears struck therefrom and projecting through the said slots, said tie elements having portions thereofv adjacent the ears abutting the inner sides vof the opposed panels, said ears being bent to a position adjacent lone surface of the panel.

2. A sectional building,y unit of the character described comprising a pair of opposed panels;

flanges extending around the edges of each panel andgturned inwardly therefrom, each ange having slots formed therethrough-at they edges thereof, relatively narrow tie elements between the panels to hold the same in spaced part relation, said tie elements having ears struck therefrom and projecting through the said slots, said tie elements having portions thereof adja-r centi the ears abutting the inner sides of. the opposed panels, said ears being bent Ato a position adjacent one surface of the panel.

` 3. A sectional building unit of the character described comprising a pair of opposed panels each having slots formed therethrough at the edges thereof; and relatively narrow tie elements between the panels to hold the same-in spaced apart relation, said tie elements having ears struck therefrom and projecting through the said slots,` said tie elements having portions thereof adjacent the ears abutting the inner sides of the opposed panels, saidA ears ,being bent vto a position adjacent oneV surface of the panel,

said tie elements being formed to embrace a building member between the panels.

EMILE S. GUIGNON, JR. 

